Cortez Masto, Murray Will Seek Unanimous Consent to Pass Bill Protecting Right to Travel on THURSDAY

ICYMI: Senators introduce legislation to protect women’s constitutional right to travel across state lines to seek abortion care

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), issued the following statement announcing that they will seek to pass their Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022 by unanimous consent this Thursday.

The Senators introduced the legislation earlier today alongside Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and many of their Democratic colleagues.

“On Thursday, we’ll seek to pass our Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act by unanimous consent. As extreme Republican lawmakers seek to punish women for exercising their constitutional right to travel across state lines to seek the abortion care they need, Democrats will work to protect Americans’ most basic right to travel freely within the United States.

“This Thursday, women across America will be watching closely to see if Republicans stand in the way of our effort to protect the fundamental right to travel and ensure states cannot hold women—and those supporting them—captive for seeking out legal abortion care.”

The Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022 would protect every woman’s constitutional right to travel across states lines to receive abortion care—and the providers who care for them. Legislation introduced in Missouri and draft legislation proposed by anti-choice extremists make clear that interstate travel for reproductive health care is under attack. The Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022 underscores the Constitutional protections for interstate travel and provides redress for women whose rights are violated. The legislation would also protect health care providers in pro-choice states from prosecution and lawsuits for serving individuals traveling from other states.

Read full text of the legislation here.

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